Speed
by BrokenNarsil16
Summary: Ash is a street racer, and a damned good one. But when he travels south, to visit family, he is introduced to a new kind of speed...one not bound by the limits of the highway, but only by how long you can hold on! AAMR. Moderate Language
1. Chapter 1

**Speed – 1**

Disclaimer: I don't own this.

A/N: Since my first pokemon racing fic was so rudely booted off of this site for some ungodly reason, here's another. This time the bio for the story is _really_ broad, so as to fit into any niches the staff here may pick about. Give me a break. Just read it, okay?

* * *

Blue smoke tore its way to the sky, burning from under the car like an inferno. It was soon left behind, its maker blasting away under the power of a 2JZ-GTE engine. The cobalt-blue Supra shot down the asphalt, a bullet in the night. Its turbos screamed bursts of furious air, each shift of the transmission jolting the vehicle forward with more power.

From inside the cab, the world outside was a blur. The asphalt ahead was a direct line to oblivion, the yellow stripes in the middle of the road blazing past in the wake of the speed. With a downward glance, the driver noted all was well with his machine. The boost was level, the temperature fine, and the rpms were nearing the redline. A red light on the tach. told him to slam the shifter down in to high gear. Another surge of power made manifest as he was pushed back into the seat. He was grinning ear-to-ear, and as he checked his rear-view mirror, he noted his opponent was far behind.

The painted line on the road told him the quarter mile was up, and as he rocketed past, he eased the transmission to neutral and pressed the brake to slow his movement. Heart pounding almost visibly, the driver slid it into second gear when the revs were sufficient, and stepped on the gas, spinning the Supra around in the middle of the road. He made his way back to the finish line, ready to claim his prize and the glory for another one in the bag.

Ash Ketchum stepped out of his car, which was already surrounded by spectators and admirers. Compliments abounded, as well as questions, tips and advice, and more than a few comments by fans of the loser. They weren't too happy with Ash's victory.

"There you are." The driver said, as a red-headed girl made her way through the crowd. She smiled mischievously as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Ash leaned down and kissed her, running a hand through her locks.

"You did good tonight." She said, punching him lightly in the side.

"Damn right." He said, lifting his head to survey the crowd. He was looking for his opponent, that loud-mouthed kid with the Corvette. He had thought an expensive car would make up for his lack of wheel time, and modifications. Ash wanted to see the look on his face now; something that boy's rich father wouldn't be able to pay off.

And soon enough, he stepped up. He seemed more cocky now than before, a shot to his pride making him a reckless idiot now, no doubt. He was the kind who didn't care what repercussions were involved in an action, for his father had enough money and clout to keep him out of trouble. So he stared at Ash with a defiant look, silently daring him to say something.

"Pay up." Ash said simply, showing no emotion. He watched as the loser's eyes lit up with anger. With a sigh, Ash stood up straight from where he was leaning on his car, and looked the guy in the eyes, "One thousand dollars. Now." He held out his hand, maintaining an ice-cold glare at the kid.

Finally, the boy huffed and sank his hand into his pocket, producing a roll of money that he handed to Ash. The latter put the money into his own shirt pocket, before turning and leaning back against his car. Hardly anyone spoke, sensing the tension between the two drivers. It was unfortunately a fairly common occurrence. Some smart ass punk thinks he has a fast ride, and decides to challenge someone who does. He loses and gets pissed off, bowing up his chest like he has something to show everybody. Fortunately, Ash was one of the cooler people when it came to handling these situations.

"You can stick around, Mike." Ash said, smiling at the guy. Mike huffed again, acting as if the place was too lame for someone of his caliber. So without anything else said, he got in his car and sped away.

* * *

An old warehouse was where the party was. Everyone parked their cars inside, mingling with people, playing music, drinking, making out, talking shit, and generally having a good time. Ash and his girl, Misty, stuck around for a while, talking with some of their gear-head friends about a slight bog in the acceleration coming out of third gear. The guys tuned the fuel injectors a bit, and then went on to fix some more stuff.

"You wanna get out of here?" Misty whispered, nibbling on Ash's ear. He sat his beer down, and grabbed Misty on both sides of her hips. With a playful force, he pressed her down over the hood of the Supra, grinning. She looked Ash in the eyes, as if to say 'what're you gonna do now?'. It was an unspoken game of theirs to push limits every time they were together. With a chuckle, Ash kissed her, using his hands to pin hers above her head on the hood. Misty nibbled on his lip, and Ash swirled his tongue inside her mouth.

She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he hoisted her upright by the hips. Chuckling, he carried her to the passenger side of the Supra, and opened the door, "Where to?" He asked as she sat down.

"My place?" Misty said, leaning back and resting her arms behind her head.

"Aren't your sisters home?" Ash asked, grinning.

"Yep." She said with a smile. Misty reached out and shut her door, as Ash got in the driver's seat and started the engine. It rumbled under the strokes of the camshaft, a sound and feeling that Ash loved dearly.

He put it in gear and eased away, people clearing out when they saw a vehicle coming through. Folks waved at them and yelled, and others ignored their presence. Ash was a good racer, with an even better record, but he wasn't the best yet.

Leaving the warehouse, he gave it more gas and shifted into third. Cerulean City was a fairly large city, with miles of good roads and plenty of places to race or get lost in. It was also Misty's home town. She had met Ash ten years ago, when he stole her bike while she was fishing. She traveled around with him after, using the bicycle excuse as a good reason to be with him. There was always something about Ash, something magnetic.

They had ended up getting together a few years later, and things never changed. Ash loved fast cars and racing, and Misty loved the beauty and style a car could have. It kind of fell into place that she outfitted his car with accessories and all the bells and whistles that were included.

Not sacrificing performance, she had helped Ash make his Supra. It was a pearlescent blue, with the spoiler, mirrors, and rims painted white. Aside from various decals of performance parts, the graphics consisted of a few tendrils of tribal pattern, slashing across the sides of the car. These were colored white as well, with black accents. Under the frame rested underglow LED lights, colored blue.

But under the hood, the beauty truly shined. Starting at a 2JZ-GTE Supra engine, Ash and his friend Brock had tuned a beast. With ported and polished heads, blueprinted block, Ferrea valvetrain, JE forged pistons, slamming to the beats of the HKS 264 camshafts. Blowing air like a hurricane were twin HKS GT2835 turbos, shooting the air through the Carbon Ti exhaust. From the short throw B&M shifter, to the Sparco seats, the Supra was a beast.

And now it exited a turn sideways, all four tires spinning. With a downshift into third, Ash stepped on the gas and felt the machine under him surge. With some precise maneuvering of the steering wheel, the Supra was righted and bolting away in a straight line. A red light was ahead, and the driver lowered the shifter into neutral, braking slightly up to the light.

"What are you going to do when you get too old to drive like this?" Misty asked, smiling.

"I won't make it that long." Was all the reply she got. Ash turned and winked at her, before slamming the shifter into gear and burning rubber all the way to third.

* * *

He felt her soft skin and smelled her hair next to him as he opened his eyes. A bright beam of sunlight penetrated the thin curtains in her room, serving to stab Ash in the eye with light. Misty lay next to him, still asleep. With a yawn, Ash pulled back the sheets and removed his arm from under her. He sat up, looking laxly around the room. It was ten in the morning, and he didn't have to work today.

Standing, he located his pants and put them on. Exiting Misty's room, he made his way to the kitchen. Stomach rumbling, Ash searched the pantry for some sustenance. He didn't notice the presence of another entering the room.

"Like, good morning, Ash." He turned sharply to regard whoever had just spoken.

"Oh, morning Lily." Ash said with a smile, before returning to his plundering.

"What're you looking for?" She said, coming over to him and looking in the cabinet.

"Just some breakfast. Do you mind if I eat something?" Ash displayed a box of cereal, as evidence of his intentions.

"Of course not. Just don't, like, make a mess of the milk or anything." She turned and headed for the doorway, "And wake that lazy Misty up too, before she sleeps past lunch."

* * *

"Hello?" Ash said, answering his phone. He sat at the table with Misty, both partaking of some breakfast.

"Ash, it's Mom." His mother spoke, her bubbly voice the same as usual.

"Oh, hey Mom. What's up?" He asked, mouth full of oat flakes.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm going down south to visit your Aunt Diane, and I'd like you to come with me. You haven't seen her in a long time, or your cousin Josh."

"Well I don't know Mom, I've got a lot of stuff to do."

"Well why don't you bring Misty along too, and you both can have a vacation? She's never been to the Claihil Region before, has she?" Misty shook her head, hearing the conversation over the speaker-phone.

"Do you want to go?" Ash asked Misty quietly.

"Sure, sounds fun." She said, voice matching his own stealth level.

"Uh, I guess we'll go too. When are you leaving?" Ash asked, looking at his watch.

"Tomorrow morning, around seven."

"Okay, well I'll drive my car separately and meet you there." Ash finished saying bye to his mother, and returned his attention to his cereal, which was getting soggy.

"You never told me you had family down south." Misty said, nudging his arm.

"That's because they're...different." Ash said nervously. He proceeded to explain how, in the south, things were vastly different from how they were there. From speech to clothing preference, vehicles to foods. Life was generally slower than in the northern region of Kanto, with the people valuing the 'slow and steady' way of life over anything else.

"Well that sounds kinda nice." She said, leaning back, "I'd like to be able to just relax sometimes, maybe drink some sweet tea and listen to the birds chirp."

"You'll get plenty of time to do that there," Ash said, "nothing much happens in Middle Town." Middle Town was where his aunt and cousin lived; a small, backwards place, filled with lots of nothing.

"I guess you'll just die without anyone to race." Misty said, standing behind Ash and draping her arms over his shoulders. He chuckled, taking hold of one of her hands.

"I'll just have to teach them something about speed."

* * *

Note: Buildup! After this comes the meat (well the first parts of the meat). Stay tuned, and leave some damned reviews! 


	2. Chapter 2

**Speed – 2**

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.

* * *

There were lots of trees. On each side of the road, for as far as the eye could see, trees abounded in all shapes and sizes, makes and models. The drive had been a four hour one, and both Ash and Misty were tired, cramped, and ready to stretch their limbs and stand for a while. They had played out every CD Ash owned, and the radio was fast becoming a nuisance.

A two-lane highway played host to the Supra, and everyone who saw it pass nearly broke their necks trying to check it out. This gave them a measure of satisfaction, but it was outweighed by their eagerness to reach their destination.

"I've gotta get some gas." Ash said, noticing the low level of fuel the gauge told him he had. And in another five or so miles, a station made manifest behind the cover of some large pines. It wasn't anything to write home about, just a small pit stop along the long road. A few old pickup trucks were parked around, and two old men sat outside in rocking chairs, talking.

As the Supra pulled up to one of the four pumps, the men stopped talking and watched the flashy machine. The growl of the exhaust died as Ash cut the ignition, and stepped out of the car. Misty did likewise, stretching her limbs with relief. Producing his credit card, Ash proceeded to pump some premium gas into his ride. Misty went inside to get them a snack, and the old men resumed their conversation.

He was halfway through pumping when he heard a roar from down the road. Ash looked up towards the sound, and soon saw a large Chevrolet truck pulling into the parking lot of the store. It was jacked up with a lift kit, sporting some polished 20 inch rims on some 35 inch tires. Twin three inch pipes protruded from under the bumper, pouring forth the throaty rumble he had heard as it approached. The windows were tinted dark, and on the back glass, a decal rested; an Alpine Stars emblem. It parked in one of the vacant spaces, and the noise died as the engine was turned off.

The door opened, and out stepped a guy about Ash's age, with short-cut hair and grease-stained jeans. The man turned and regarded Ash and his car, not showing any interest one way or another, before disappearing into the store.

Soon after the guy had gone in, Misty came out. She had a few Gatorades and some chips. She glanced at the truck, before getting into the Supra, "Nice truck." She said, handing Ash his food.

"Yeah, if you're into that sort of thing." He swigged his drink and drove away, making sure to give the throttle just a little more gas than necessary, if only to make a point.

* * *

They arrived at Ash's Aunt's house, and saw his mother's car sitting in the driveway. The house was a nice one; brick with a shingled roof. The lawn was well-groomed, and the pool was free of trash. Four great pecan trees towered in the back yard, providing shade for some chairs in which Ash's aunt Diane and her sister sat.

"Oh, there they are!" Diane said, standing and going over to Ash and Misty. She gave Ash a great hug, and Misty as well, "You sure are growin', Ash. And who's this?"

"Hey, aunt Diane, this is Misty." The boy was embarrassed a bit about his relative's bold hospitality, but it ran in their family.

"Is she your girlfriend, Ash?" His aunt nudged his arm, causing him to blush.

"Yeah, she's my girl." He looked at Misty with an apologetic smile, but saw no distaste in her face.

"It's good to meet you," Misty said.

"You too, sweety," She smiled, before gesturing to some spare chairs, "why don't ya'll sit down and I'll go fix something to drink." She went into her house, and Ash and Misty took a seat next to his mother.

"Jeez mom, you drive faster than I do." Ash said, noting her early arrival.

"Where do you think you got it from?" She jested. His mother didn't really know about his racing life, but she knew his car was fast and suspected he used the power more often than not in his driving.

"So where's Josh?" Ash asked, noticing he hadn't seen his cousin around.

"He's in town with his friends." About that time, Diane returned with four glasses of tea.

"That boy ain't never home. If he ain't in the woods, he's sleepin'." Diane said. Ash laughed inside, wondering what in the world was there to do in the woods. They sure had plenty of them around here, though. He tasted of the tea, noticing it was ridiculously sweet. He forced it down, wondering how many cups of sugar had gone into the glass. He knew the methods of making tea in this region were different from Kanto, but this was absurd.

He looked at Misty and noticed a similar surprise reaction. But she didn't seem to dislike it as bad as he. His mother was sipping it normally, having grown up around this town and being used to it from her childhood.

"So what are you doing since you got out of school, Ash?" his aunt asked.

"I work at my friend's garage." He explained, choking down another sip of glucose.

"Oh, you're a mechanic?" She asked.

"Yeah, more or less."

* * *

The rest of the day was filled with catching up, a tour of the house, the two women's reminiscing, explanations of sleeping arrangements, and the beginnings of dinner. Aunt Diane busied herself about the kitchen, gathering various ingredients and produce. She hustled around like a bee, zipping from one pot to the next, stirring here and pouring there. It smelled wonderful, and Ash was eager to try the food. He knew the eating habits around here were different as well, and was curious as to what he was about to partake of.

"Do you think I should help her?" Misty asked Ash, who sat on the couch watching television. She had been watching her host bounce around the kitchen for a while, feeling like she should do something to help.

"No, she loves cooking." Ash said, draping an arm around Misty's shoulders and drawing her close. His mother was antsy as well, for she loved to cook too, but Diane had insisted the guests not worry themselves with such chores and relax instead.

A few more minutes rolled by, the smell from the kitchen growing ever more tantalizing. The daylight was fading, and as the hands of the clock were approaching the five, the back door opened.

Everyone in the living room turned their attention to the portal, and saw a man come through the door. Ash looked in wonder as he realized it was the same guy he had seen at the store earlier. He regarded everyone with a slightly curious expression, his eyes showing recognition when he saw Ash and Misty. Looking in the kitchen, he saw Diane cooking. She too saw him.

"Oh, Josh I'm glad you're back. Supper's almost done." She wiped her brow with a cloth, "this is your aunt Delia and you cousin Ash, and his girlfriend Misty. You remember them?"

"Yeah, a little." She smiled at Ash's mother, nodding his head in greeting. He greeted Ash and Misty likewise.

"It's been a while, Josh. I didn't even recognize you earlier." Ash said with a smile.

"Yeah, me either." He sat down in a chair, and looked to the television.

"So how have you been Josh?" Delia asked him. She knew he was shy, and didn't take offence to his lack of conversation.

"Pretty good." He said, "you?"

"Oh I've been fine, thank you." She smiled and returned her eyes to the television.

"That's a nice truck you've got." Ash said, "we don't see many like that up north."

"Thanks. Your car ain't bad either. What are you, one of them 'speed racer' guys?" He grinned, showing he was only joking. Ash took it in stride.

"Yeah, you could say that." He guessed Josh didn't know much about street racing, so he wouldn't waste the details on him. He was confident enough in his car and himself to leave it at that.

"Heh, maybe I'll show you a real race sometime." Josh grinned and looked back at the television. Ash's smile faded, replaced by a look of puzzled wonder. What did he mean by that? He looked at Misty, who only shrugged her shoulders.

* * *

Dinner was great. A main course of fried chicken, accompanied by mustard greens, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn bread, and plenty of tea was arrayed before them on the table. Most of the things Ash had eaten before, but here they bore a certain flavor unlike anything he had tasted. They seemed more rich, juicy and downright good. They were seasoned perfectly, having almost a comforting quality to the taste. The tea, he still disliked, but he managed to get through it fine.

Afterwards, Misty and Delia insisted on washing the dishes, having had enough of sitting idle. Ash smiled, admiring Misty's quality and integrity.

"Hey, come out here with me." Josh said to Ash, opening the back door. Ash followed, wondering what he wanted.

"What's up?" Ash asked, following him.

"That car got any ass, or just a flashy paint job?" Josh ignored his question, standing and looking at the Supra.

"You wanna find out?" Ash retorted, eager for a chance to show off.

"Nah. I don't wanna sit in somethin' all cramped up. I was just wonderin' if you was really full of shit. I can see you ain't." He grinned, before turning and resuming his walking. They were heading for a garage in the corner of the yard, and Ash wondered what was in there. Maybe a car?

"It's pretty easy to race on the road. It ain't nothing but flat asphalt. Get in the woods, it's different." Josh turned to look at Ash, who wore a confused expression.

"Woods?" He asked, wondering what raced in the woods, "you mean your truck?"

"No, I ain't takin' that thing out there. That's for my mud truck. This is what I race." They had reached the shed, and Josh pulled back the bar which held the doors closed. As he swung open the doors, Ash beheld a monster.

It looked like a shark, or some other ferocious creature. Sitting low to the ground, four knobby tires supported the machine. It was blue, with red decals on the sides and stickers of performance brands all over it. From the black handlebars to the candy-red exhaust, Ash saw his first quad.

"What the hell is that?" He asked, looking it over. He had seen similar machines before, but never one this mean looking.

"That's my baby; a YFZ 450. She's got Elka suspension, ITP GNCC Holeshot tires, with beadlock wheels, Laegers steering stem with Tag Handlebars, AC nerf bars, full PRM skid plates, Edelbrock carburetor, K&N air filter, and an HMF full system exhaust. That's just the basics." He looked at Ash, wondering what his reaction would be.

"Well it looks awesome. What's it run?" He surveyed the engine, noting the incredibly small block, despite the twin cam setup it had.

"About 85, wide open."

"That's it?" Ash stood and looked at Josh with wonder.

"That's plenty fast on the trails." He sat down atop the thing and inserted his key. With the press of a button on the left-hand side of the handlebars, the atv came to life. It rumbled a deep growl, much louder than what Ash had expected from such a thing. The gas was via a thumb throttle on the right side of the handlebars. This Josh pumped a few times, revving the motor. The exhaust roared with each stab of the throttle, responding almost instantly to the application on the lever.

He squeezed the clutch, which was a lever on the left side of the handlebars, and stepped down on the shifter, which was at his left foot. With a blast of the engine he took off, standing the thing straight up in a wheelie, which he held all the way across his yard. When he reached the other side, he let it fall, before leaning almost all the way off the side of the thing and turning the wheels to the left. The machine spun around almost on the spot, its rear tires slinging dirt and grass high into the air. Josh raced back towards Ash, before shifting down back into low gear and braking so as to stop just in front of him. He cut the ignition and grinned, "You wanna ride it?"

* * *

A/N: YFZ baby!! Sorry, just gotta represent. It gets better next chapter, so review this bitch and get ready for some fun! 


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